St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-06-30

to reason" Fortune helps, fortune
binders, but never will prevent truly
great man from showing himself great.
Then followed an essay by Sarah E.
Potter of Acworth, N. III. Subject :
"Individual Responsibility in Public
Affairs" Attention was called to some
of the evils that prevail and threaten
this people. Indifference to politics,
the speaker held, is not only nation
al but an individual loss. The tenn
perance question, railroad mOnOpolies,
ETC., were all discussed and individual
responsibility in public affairs urged.
pyramids not all Egyptian" was the
subject of an grafton by Charles L.
Kemp of East Corinth. The vast null
titude of men are, to-day, striving for
something, to rear for themselves
pyramids of honor, but pyramids of
honor are not confined to the great and
illustrious alone. Each of us in his
own sphere of usefulness are all build
ing pyramids which shall reflect like
mirrors our past work, and which
shall stand forth in all its strength or
weakness, to receive the approval or
disapproval of an All-wise judge.
English How she is Learned" was
the subject of an essay by Mabel S.
Bracket of st. Johnsbury, prompted
by the recent Century article on "Eng-
lish as She is Taught" Discussing the
causes of the ignorance that finds so
many illustrations in answers to ques-
tons it was held that much of the
learning left for the schools should be
acquired at home, where more time is
spent in discussing the latest fashions,
and the reasons why Mr.. II. moved out
of town, than in talking over literary
and political subjects of real interest,
and so cultivate a taste for general in
formation and broader culture.
"DevOtees of One Idea" was the sub
ject of the Grafton by Willis o. Smith
of Manchester Centre. The central
thought was that when an idea be-
comes firmly rooted in mans existence,
if allowed undue prominence it soon
possesses the man, not the man the
idea, hence the vision of life should be
broad and universal though there
must be concentration to succeed a
broad learning should be secured,
though holding subservient only those
faculties with which nature has strong
est endowed us.
"CompensatiOns" was the subject OF
bright essay by Mary E. Rankin OF
st. Johnsbury, at seems to be the
fashion nowadays" she began, "to
talk of life as thing of cOmpensatiOns,
and to say there is no evil under the
sun that has not it's counterbalancing
good" This hypothesis was good ma
turedly questioned by the essayist who
finally reached the conclusion that
this matter of cOmpensatiOns is very
much within our own keeping, we have
but to substitute what we chance to
have, and enjoy it, for the thing we
thought we must have, but lost, and
the whole matter regulates itself.
Maria F. Hazen of Whitefield came
next with an essay on "The Voice OF
the Bell" The bell that did the talk
ing in this instance was the st. Johns
bury academy bell and it told the sto-
ry of the founding of st. JOhnsbury
academy, ringing on to the faithful
performance of duty those who to-day
are by it's ringing tones called to the
work of life.
"The Fishery Dispute" was the sub
.ject of an grafton by Charles P. Mat
thews of Fort COvingtOn, N. Y. While
recognizing the dangers that threaten
both this and the Canadian govern
ment in their relations to each other
concerning the fishery dispute, the
speaker urged that arbitration should
always precede warlike measures and
that the question is not one which
should cause war, or even continued
and bitter embodiment, between peo-
birth and in religion.
"The Power of Song" was the sub
ject of an essay by Myra A. Warden OF
Hanover, N. H., in which was told the
power of music as evidenced in many
scenes in history. 1t is song that
rOuses our best sympathy; song that
can raise our natures into full COM
munion with the spiritual song that
can scatter our perplexities and strifes
as the sunbeams dispel the mist.
"The Need of Public Conscience
was thOughtfully discussed in an ora
ton by Herbert d. Williams of West
Randolph. A decline in individual re-
spOnsibility, he said, is everywhere
manifesting itself, more noticeable in
the political world than elsewhere.
Conscience, he argued, must be insen-
sible to influence must not be feeling
but sound principle.
Margaret E. Hazen of st. Johnsbury
in her essay recounted the story of her
visit to the home of "Mother Goose
and her Message to 49," The wonders
of the realm of Gooseland were all re-
vealed to her and told in rhyme that
would have done credit to the dame
herself concluding with the message
which Mother G. sent back to the class
of ~, message full of good advice
for the class "that far-famed shall be-"
The class essay was by Ada M. Bus
we'll of West Burke. Subject: ga
Literary Ladder" The steps of this